A soft launch on the Spirit of British Columbia Wednesday meant customers boarded to find signs on Moneris terminals saying the company is “trialling the use of debit cards on board select vessels” on the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay routes for a period of two months.

Previously, ticket agents at ferry terminals and onboard purchases were only available via credit card or cash. The company has said it did not enable debit use because the technology was too slow and would lead to sailing delays.

“You get in between the Gulf Islands and there are some dead spots,” Guenette explains, of the connectivity issues.